By Laura,
PROM at 26 weeksDelivery at 38 weeks.
Story added: 1998-12-03

The pregnancy of my fourth child proved to be the most challenging of all for me and my family. I dealt with hyperemesis that was to last up until the 28th week but fortunately, I kept myself out of the hospital this time for that. Actually, I was feeling pretty good and enjoying what we knew would be my last pregnancy. At around 24 weeks I started having really bad back pains. I commented to a colleague at work that it felt like the way I felt before I had my last child. She told me that I should call my doctor right away. I just brushed it off thinking I was just tired from working and caring for my three active children. But the back pain got worse over the weekend so I finally called my OB who had me come right in.

I honestly thought that he would tell me that I just needed to rest more and that would be that. This would not be the case. It turned out that I was in labor and was dilated to 1 centimeter and 50% effaced! He sent me home with oral terbutaline, a home monitor and complete bedrest. I was only allowed up to use the bathroom or to go the my next OB appointment in 5 days.

I was in shock! I honestly did not know how I could possibly stay in bed with three children at home who needed me to chauffer them to and from school, preschool and all the things that three children ages 9, 3 and 2 needed. I had to plan my 3 year old's birthday party in three weeks. I promised her a big party with all her friends. My husband just got a promotion at work and was working extra hours to finish an important project. Plus he was also directing a musical drama with a cast of seventy. In my mind I saw no way that bedrest would be possible.

For the next week or so I cried and cried. I tried to stay in bed but in my mind, no one could care for my family except me so I was really only "taking it easy". By the time I reached 26 weeks gestation, I had accepted the fact that I was going to be down for the rest of the pregnancy. I was still contracting so I was still taking the terbutaline.

One night that week I woke up to discover that my bed clothes were soaked. I honestly thought, with much embarrassment, that I had wet the bed. When I got out of bed, I realized that my bladder was full and I felt fluid running down my legs. My water broke! I should have woke my husband right away and called the doctor but I didn't. I was too scared. My worst nightmare as an RN in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit had come true. My mind flashed on every 26 weeker that I have cared for over the years. I just could not believe that my baby would now be the micro- preemie in our unit at work. I definitely was panicking. I knew I needed to calm down so I pulled out my Bible and opened to wear I had been studying earlier that day in Proverbs. I left off at Proverbs 3:5, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." I really felt like this verse was speaking to me.

My understanding told me that my baby was facing pretty grim odds right now and it terrified me. I prayed for strenth and courage no matter what happened. Then I woke up my husband and called the doctor. When we got to the hospital, the reality of it all set in again. I was hooked up to IV terbutaline. The monitor showed my contractions coming every four minutes. Vag exam showed I was dilated to 2 centimeters and 75% effaced. They gave me betamethasone, IV antibitoics and called for the perinatologist. His exam showed that the baby was doing okay for now. He told me the next few hours would tell what to expect.

I continued on the antibiotics, terb and twice daily betamethasone shots for the next two days. Fortunately, I had stablilized. I was no longer contracting but the monitor was showing a lot of uterine irritability. I also continued to leak fluid. After a lot of discussion, my doctor, husband and I decided that home would be the best place for me. We understaood that we were now just trying to keep the baby in as long as possible. I was sent home with my uterine monitor and a subcutaneous continuous terbutaline pump which was attached to my thigh. This was to keep my contractions down to my allowable threshold of four per hour. I was to be on strict bedrest only getting up to use the bathroom.

Our home situation had not changed but my focus had. All I could think about was keeping my baby inside of me as long as possible. The longest I knew of professionally was two weeks. That was my goal. I was able to keep focused thanks to tremendous help form our church family. By the time I was settled into my own bed at home, arrangements were made for meals to be delivered three times a week to our family, someone was going to be coming over in the morning everyday after my husband left for work to help get my children ready for school and daycare and then to take them there. Once a week, someone delivered groceries to our home from a weekly list my husband made out. Twice a month someone came over and cleaned my house for me. A couple moms of friends of my 3 year old offered to help my husband plan and host the best birthday party for her.

Besides all this physical support I was receiving emotional and spiritual support as well. Everyday I received phone calls, cards, letters and visits from people to encourage me. My baby and I were placed on various prayer lists, actually by the end of the day when my water broke, I had people all over the USA praying for us. By the end of the week I had people all over the world praying daily for us.

Week after week went by and my doctors and I were surprised to think that I might actually "make it". I did have a few close calls where we thought this was it but adjusting my terbutaline pump always stabilized the situation. At 36 weeks, my doctor reluctantly allowed me to progress to modified bedrest and the t-pump remained. My rationale was that my last baby was a 36 weeker and was fine, in fact she went home with me 24 hours after birth. At 37 weeks, he allowed me to remove the t-pump and he performed the first vaginal exam since that night 11 weeks prior. I was now 3 centimeters dilated and 100% effaced. He hugged me and congratulated me for beating the odds. My baby would be full term!

She was born one week later on our 13th wedding anniversary. She weighed 7 pounds 10 1/2 ounces and had apgars of 10 and 10 and was perfect in every way. We named her Jodie Grace. Jodie means God is gracious. We truly felt that Jodie was a miracle that would not have been possible were it not for God's grace. Jodie Grace is now 2 1/2 years old, beautiful, smart as can be and a source of joy and delight to all that know her.

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